Choice
by Oceanwind
Summary: We all have the choices we must make in life, and some are much easier to make once you are given the oppertunity. However, this was just one choice and in her heart she had made it a long time ago. M.K and Nod oneshot reunion fic. Rated T just to be on the safe side of things, really a mild K.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Epic or Sky Blue productions. Therefore I am merely borrowing these characters for a more … satisfying epilogue (in my opinion). I hope you guys enjoy it too.

**Choice**

It was the queen that had brought her to their world, and the queen had sent her back. And now as she sat down on the ground next to her shrunken sized friend Nod, she was filled with a longing to still be there, with them, where she belonged. Many leaves, one tree. It was a motto that had struck deep in her heart, and filled her with a sense of longing now that she was back with her father. A year had passed since that busy day, since the day she had made such strong friendships, and now more than ever she wanted to see the world like that again. She wanted to be part of a group and not by herself.

Her newly patched relationship with her father was nice. There wasn't a strain between them like there had been, but she still felt lonely. Her 18th birthday drew closer with each day, and with that came the decision to either stay with her father or go off to school soon. The past year had been rather hectic. Trying to juggle high school, as well as Nod and her 'normal' life, as she liked to call it, was weird. The past year she had tried to figure out what was between her and the leafman, and she wasn't sure exactly how they worked. It was becoming a tragedy much like Tara and Ronin's love had been. It existed but it wasn't quiet able to be attained. What with the size difference, and now the every present communication barriers unless it was through the computers that speeds things up and slowed things down for both of them, it was hard to tell if they were just friends or if there was a romance between them.

"Earth to M.K.," the tiny voice buzzed as Nod jumped fanatically up and down to grab her attention.

"Oh… sorry Nod," she smiled apologetically. He grinned at her, and through the glasses she was annoyed that it didn't hold the same effect as seeing him up close. Even with as close as they sat together he still felt like he was miles away.

"It's alright. Everything okay?" he questioned. "Anyone at school bothering you?" he added quickly a stern look gracing his face. Nod was actually a year or two older in his 'world' than she was. With living so fast, the days and nights were much longer for them, and oddly enough it seemed to slow down their aging. By the time she was thirty he would still be in his early twenties. Not that she was jealous of that, it just saddened her further the more she thought of something 'more' with him. There were too many things against them.

"No one at school has bothered me," she promised quickly smiling at his concern. "I'm just thinking," she added quietly.

She hated that she knows he heard it as slow motion so some of the emotion was lost on him. Now more than ever she wished they were on the same level. It had been rather comical to see her father in slow motion, but annoying at how unintelligent it made him sound. He was rather brilliant… but that is beside the point. She knows it makes her sound just as bad unless they talked through a monitor. She didn't like seeing Nod in person like this, but the man insisted. Right now she was as close to their 'city' as she had been since she was their size, which also meant she was close to the queen. Those thoughts seemed to spiral around her head and she yearned to ask the question that had taunted her the past few months.

"About what then?" Nod prompted, interrupting her from her thoughts again. She gave him a skeptical look before giving him a devilish smirk.

"How I wish you could hold me again," she told him winking, "I feel like I know you better now."

She knew the motion probably looked ridiculous to him, which was half the point, she was teasing him. She is a grown woman, and she had given up the past year of pursuit from others simply for the man in front of her who was barely the size of her pinkie. You would think that her maturing with age would make her see more reasonably and give up on this endeavor but her heart refused, and clung to him so strongly. The past year of constant communication with him had shown her more of the man than she had known before, and she really saw what Ronin saw. Nod had tons of potential and was a great guy. It was more than just an attraction, it seemed almost like fate, and she cursed it every day for being so cruel and tearing them apart. She looked forward to talking to him, and looked forward to seeing his smiling face; guiltily she would admit that it made her heart race but she tried hard to ignore that part it only made it that much more painful. And even more so when she did long to be held by him, to see the forest like that again, and to live like that.

Her thoughts were getting so wrapped up she almost missed Nod's face darkened at her comment.

"Yeah me too," he said seriously.

He didn't wink back, and silence quickly fell between them. She coughed nervously before glancing towards the falling sun. She knew time stretched out longer for him as he stared off blankly ahead of him.

"I should be going," she whispered, looking hard at her hands. Oh how she wanted him to find some way for the queen to shrink her back, how badly she wanted to ask if she could. For one day she had belonged somewhere, and she felt... connected. It would haunt her for the rest of her life; she would be forever stuck, longing to rejoin him and that lifestyle. Frustrated, tears sprung unwittingly to her eyes as she started to stand.

"Wait!" he practically yelled jumping to her shoulder as if that would hold her in place. "Since we are on the topic of me holding you… I have a question I would like to ask."

He seemed uncharacteristically nervous as he waited for her to nod, and again she was reminded about how slowly she moved for him.

"I have thought, when you are in school all day… I mean Mud mentioned that… do you have someone you are interested in your world?" he asked.

Her heart clenched at his words. 'Her world'. She was separated by a whole world. Her cheeks flushed and she fought tears of frustration. How much longer could she do this to herself? This was more painful than when her mother had passed away, and this was constant. There was really no way to get around grieving with this, not when they were constantly talking and seeing each other.

"I don't have anyone…" she told him truthfully.

Nod let out a deep breath and a small smile graced his lips.

"Just one more question… would you consider coming back?" he phrased quietly.

It was so quiet she barely caught it, but her mind processed it quickly and she jerked in surprise. In the past year both had avoided the topic, it seemed taboo, and it filled them both with longing.

"YES!" she shouted and quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment. Nod snickered.

"I have talked to the Queen. It's just… it'll be permanent this time. You'll be a full on leafman…er woman," he corrected.

"I don't care I just—" she stopped herself quickly and flushed. God how she must be sounding to him right now, she thought. "When?" she corrected and asked.

"The full moon tomorrow night," he told her. His small smile became full-blown as he jumped in the air with a celebratory fist pump. She laughed, her eyes barely being to follow him even with the glasses.

"Until then," she told him. She stood brushing the dirt from her pants. "I'll be back tomorrow," she promised.

She knew he followed her home, he always did. Even though there was no real danger for her now, it still felt reassuring that he was there and watching her as the darkness fell.

()()()()()

"I'm home, Dad," she called into the dimly lit house as she opened the door. Her father swiveled in his chair and poked his head out to greet her. She wasn't at all sad about the thought of leaving her father. Even though they were closer she still wasn't as close to him as she had been with her mother. Still she felt a bubble of nervous start to develop at the thought of telling her father what was being offered to her.

"How is Nod?" he asked his eyes sparkled with amused acknowledgement.

"He is the same as always. Protecting the forest and the queen," M.K. smiled as she walked past her seated father to scoop up Ozzie to snuggle the dog to her chest. Giddiness was starting to replace the nervousness as she blurted out her next thought, "he also said the queen could turn me back into a leafman."

It was silent as her father heard the words blurted out of her mouth. His brow scrunched for a second before his face broke into a smile.

"I knew you would return," he said softly and stood to give her a hug. "Your happiness is what is the most important," he told her.

"Thanks, Dad," she managed to choke out, surprised at the well of tears. She felt so relieved for some reason.

After a quiet dinner she found herself lying in bed for the last time, staring at her ceiling and wishing with all her might for the next night to come faster.

()()()()()()()()

"You'll be dedicating your life to the forest," Ronin warned, "and you'll be expected to fight and protect the queen."

"It would be an honor," M.K answered as she bent her knee hopefully for the last time in her full size. Ronin was warning her as an official reminder to her new role in life, but she was more than willing to accept it. They all knew that she truly belonged with them anyways, and it was a small sacrifice to be with them once again. She could barely contain herself as she shrugged off the helmet, and they became blurs before her. Unable to understand them she waited patiently. She exchanged one last look with her father, smiling as she turned to the queen.

"I'm ready," she whispered.

Much like last time there was a strong wind, and she felt herself tumble through the air until finally she landed on the soft moss beneath her. She didn't even have time to stand before Nod grabbed her and hugged her to his chest.

"Welcome home," he whispered in her ear.

She threw her arms around him and pulled him closer, if that was even possible and enjoyed every sensation of finally being reunited. She had been afraid to admit it before, but his arms made her feel so safe. It was with him where she belonged, and that was her fate. That was her choice.

* * *

**A/N: **I just really wanted Nod and MK to be together. I wasn't exactly happy with the ending although I did enjoy it. So instead of changing it I decided on a future setting where she returns. I hope this was enjoyed :). Also thanks to A**nonymous Being** for looking this over and deeming it fit to be posted ;). You rock girly.


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